Nodes Of Ranvier - www.nodesofranvier.com
Defined By Struggle (released 2007)
Victory Records - www.victoryrecords.com
I reviewed the self titled released from Nodes Of Ranvier back in 2003, I think, from Facedown Records. I remember that they stood out quite a bit from their contemporaries way back then (ha, way back then). Today, on this new release on Victory Records, you are in for the same dose of metalcore meets hardcore. Although, I think I prefer the band's previous efforts. Not that this album can't stand on it's own...it is very heavy, very deep and magnificently orchestrated. I guess I have a bit of nostalgia for the band when they were just starting to rise among the ranks of the metalcore elite. I'm happy to see that the band can now reach a level theat they very clearly deserve with their ascension to Victory, but it seems that they have just regurgitated the same tomes that brought them to this point, instead of developing and refining their signature metal influence further. What I do find interesting and perhaps due to my ignorance I didn't notice on the previously reviewed release, but Nodes Of Ranvier have got many lyrics regarding the questioning of God and the dominion he/she has left us mortals to grow in. I grew up in Catholic schools and churches all my life, so I often enjoy reviewing and reading others question of God, humanity and the whole of the universe, how we fit in and how we should make efforts to correct and change what we see around us. I see that Nodes Of Ranvier also share the same questioning of the authority and the higher beings that may, or may not, surround and govern over us more so than any repressive goverment wishes to do. I found myself truely enjoying the blends of questioning along with the band's accompaniment of sound. They do well to emphasize their questions and situations of contemplation, with their music. The heavy pounding and thrusting nature of metalcore and hardcore really helps propel the questioning of the human mind further by replicating the pulsing one feels during these deep moments of though. Ok, well I feel that way, others may not. In any case, this is a pretty good eleven track release from the now veteran set of hardcore meets metalcore, bent on becoming the next dominating force in the crossing genres. -MG |
